10 Bonny Blue Plants and Flowers

Blue is rare in nature. Brighten your garden with foliage and flowers in this cool, soothing color.

By: Lynn Coulter

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Hyacinth

Fragrant hyacinths make great partners for spring daffodils, needing little more than full sun and well-drained soil mixed with plenty of organic matter. Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8, hyacinths may produce fewer flowers after their first year in the garden, so some gardeners treat them as annuals. Look for varieties that range from 6-12” tall.

Forget-Me-Nots

Charming forget-me-nots (Myosotis) grow happily in partial shade in the damp soil around ponds or streams. They’re typically winter hardy in Zones 3-8, but check the tag or label on your variety to be sure. If they do come back in your garden, they usually flower and die in their second year--but don't worry. They re-seed freely. Some grow just 6-8” tall while others may reach 24”. This variety is 'Mon Amie.'

Hydrangea

Hydrangea colors are affected by the pH of your soil, and if you have acidic soil, and aluminum is available to your plants, Cityline Mars will produce blue flowers. Not sure about your planting site? If you want blue blooms, a pH test will help you determine whether to amend the soil with aluminum sulfate. This bigleaf hydrangea prefers part sun to sun. Hydrangeas differ in hardiness and size (some grow to 20’ tall). This variety matures at 12-36” and is hardy in Zones 5-9.

Delphinium

Spikes of bright blue flowers make ‘Guardian Blue’ delphiniums a stand-out in your garden. The stems are thick enough to snip for bouquets, and with a bit of luck, the plants will rebloom. You can find delphiniums in a range of sizes, from about 18" tall to 6' and over. Give these butterfly and hummingbird magnets full sun. Most are hardy in Zones 3-7.

Salvia

Hardy in Zones 8-10, salvia ‘Patio Deep Blue’ is a summer bloomer that takes full sun. it’s more compact than some varieties, growing 12-14” tall, which makes it a good choice for containers as well as borders and beds. This shade of blue combines beautifully with pink and yellow flowers.

Spirea

Add touches of blue-green to your garden with Double Play 'Blue Kazoo' spirea. This deciduous shrub, hardy in Zones 3-8, bears white flowers and can be grown in borders or as a low hedge. New leaves start out burgundy in the spring and turn red in fall. Give the plants part sun to sun and expect them to top out at 2-3’ tall. (Depending on the variety, spireas can mature at 1-8’ tall.) Check the hardiness zone for the variety you choose.

Evolvulus

Also known as dwarf morning glory, evolvulus opens its sky-blue blooms from summer into fall. The plants mature at 6-12”, with spreading stems that spill over the edges of containers and hanging baskets. Give them a sunny garden spot and treat them as annuals if you live in a cold climate. In Zones 9-11, evolvulus behaves as a perennial. 'Blue my Mind', shown here, has attractive, silvery green leaves.

Hydrangea

Let’s Dance 'Rhythmic Blue' is a reblooming hydrangea that matures at 24-36” tall. In acidic soils where the plants can take up aluminum, the flowers turn amethyst-blue. (Want this color? Use a soil test to determine your pH, so you’ll know if you need to amend your planting site). Give this hydrangea part sun to sun in moist soil that drains easily. It's hardy in Zones 5-9.

Grape Hyacinths

Muscari, or grape hyacinths, are small bulbs that grow 4-8” tall, but they make a big impact when planted in masses. Try growing these early spring bloomers under taller bulbs like tulips and daffodils, or group them under shrubs and trees. They’ll grow in sun or shade and naturalize easily. Hardy in Zones 4-8. Shown here: Muscari 'Dark Eyes'.

Echinops

Echinops, also known as globe thistle, produces prickly blue flowers in the summer. Hardy in Zones 3-9, the drought-resistant plants attract bees and butterflies and need full sun and well-drained soil. Don’t worry about fertilizing them, since globe thistles prefer nutrient-poor soil. Some species grow 3-7’ tall. Stake any stems that grow to 4’ tall or taller. Shown here: 'Blue Glow'.

Cineraria

Cineraria (Pericallis) are often grown in greenhouses and sold as flowering houseplants in late winter and early spring. Their blooms can last a month or more if they’re kept in a cool location. They like cool temperatures outdoors, too, and full to partial sun. The plants mature around 12-24” tall and are usually grown as annuals, although they may come back as tender perennials in Zones 9-11. You can find them in bi-colors and shades of purple, blue and pink.

10 Bonny Blue Plants and Flowers

Related To:

Shop This Look

Hyacinth

Forget-Me-Nots

Hydrangea

Delphinium

Salvia

Spirea

Evolvulus

Hydrangea

Grape Hyacinths

Echinops

Cineraria

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